On The Rocks
by WarxXxPower
Summary: Even skilled criminals are susceptible to injury. Knowing that the Akatsuki's success may depend on it, Pein sets his sights on Mitsuki, a former ANBU and medic from Yugakure with a rare kekkei genkai and a shadowed history. Forcing her to join, will his decision help his organization? Or will it backfire? Rated M for language, gore, violence, alcohol use, and a steamy scene.
1. Recruit

-Recruit-

"Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, so you can't put anything above that, ... But it wouldn't matter who you had here if you didn't have the right mental attitude and work ethic. You need all those elements to come together to do something like we are doing."

Pete Carroll

-0-

The cave was dark; bleak and dreary. Moisture hung heavily in the air as stalactites loomed threateningly overhead. A depressing milieu for most, but a perfect place for a meeting of criminals.

In the center of the sizeable cave were eight astral projections. The rainbow hued, cloaked forms were dispersed in a wide circle, surrounded by stalagmites, though there were was an unusually large gap that could fit two more people in the formation. At least half of the men were fidgeting impatiently, as if they had been waiting there for quite a while.

"How much longer do we have to wait? We're just wasting time here!" The first to break the silence was the shortest of the group. His static-like words, thanks to the projection, were said with a low, angry growl as his blood-shot eyes peered at the others. A sharp tail rose menacingly from under his cloak, despite the fact that it was impossible to hurt the other projections.

"I don't know, Sasori no Dana… But, really, _why_ are we here, un? Anyone have a clue?" The next to speak was the man next to Sasori's right, Deidara. Part of his hair was pulled in a high half-ponytail with bangs covering his left eye; his exposed cerulean eye clearly showed his own irritation, though it wasn't quite a prevalent as Sasori's.

Directly across from the two, was the tallest of the group and a man with emotionless, crimson eyes, tomoe swirling in the red sea. It was the tallest, Kisame, that replied, razor-sharp pointed teeth flashing. "I have no clue either, but I don't think Leader-sama told anyone. Right, Itachi."

"Hn."

"I just fucking hope that Leader-sama gets here soon, damn it. Like puppet-boy over there said, we're wasting our fucking time. For damn sure, I know I have better fucking things to do than just waiting around." A scowl formed on the man to the blue-eyed's right. His eyes were wine colored, sporting the irritation that the majority had.

"Shut up, Hidan." Came the quick reaction of the second tallest. His gaze, green iris' on a red background, seemed distant, as if occupied with something.

"Don't fucking tell me to shut up, Kakuzu! At least you have your shitty money to fucking keep you busy, you shit."

Kakuzu's stare snapped up aggressively to meet his partner's, but before he could make a rebuttal, he was interrupted by a rather high-pitched, yet definitely male, voice.

"Oh, oh! Guess what? Tobi knows!" Without giving anyone a chance to answer, the masked man continued in his hyperactive tone, "Tobi knows that Zetsu-sempai knows why we're here!" He pointed excitedly at the man with the Venus flytrap-like appendage next to him.

Sasori's irritated look met Zetsu's golden orbs. "Hmm, well, why is it Zetsu?"

"Yeah, un. Why is it that we're here?"

The plant man made no move to reply as he shut his eyes. The others, mainly Sasori, Hidan, Deidara, and Kisame, kept questioning him but to no avail. Zetsu only opened his eyes again when the final members finally arrived.

Everyone quieted as the two filled in the gap in the circle. A man and a woman, both had gray eyes, but the male's eyes contained a series of concentric rings.

The male took a step forward, his voice authoritative. "Now that we are all gathered, this meeting may begin." There was a low murmur of 'Finally,' 'About time," and a few choice obscenities from the group's Jashinist, as Pein continued. "I'm aware that you have all had to wait, and for that I apologize, however, I had business to attend to.

"It has come to my attention that the Akatsuki are in need of a new recruit."

"What do you mean, un? Didn't Orochimaru take his ring when he left? Besides, Tobi's enough of an ass pain as it is; I don't think we need anyone else, un."

"I agree with Deidara," Kakuzu growled, "We'll just be draining money from our coffers if we get another paid member."

Pein held a hand up to quiet any other comments. "Orochimaru is no longer in possession of his ring; I've already sent Zetsu to retrieve it. What's more is that I realize that this organization is in need of a medic." Another wave of mumbling ensued among the others. "I do not wish to hear any more complaints. Now, I've already chosen who will join us. Hidan, you may recognize who she is."

"Well then, who the fuck is she?"

"Kurosawa, Mitsuki."

There was instant recognition in Hidan's eyes, "Oi, you don't really mean to bring _her_ , do you? "

"How do you know her, un?"

"She's from my fucking village, that's how Blondie."

"Hidan, enough." Pein looked over at his organization. "There are few competent medics, and fewer that would be able to persist among S-rank criminals. Kurosawa, who is currently a wanderer, is a former ANBU operative and carries kekkei genkai."

Kisame gave a toothy smirk, "So where is she now?"

This time, it was Zetsu who answered, " **The damn girl won't sit still for more than a couple days at a time.** Currently, she's preparing to leave the Land of Waves through the main bridge **. Last we checked she was asking around about Konoha,** so we believe that she's going to head there next."

"Hmm… Hey Dana, that's about where we are now." Deidara smirked.

Wishing for the meeting to end quickly, Sasori asked, "So what is she like?"

Hidan was the one who replied. "She has black hair, brown eyes, and she's a fucking midget."

" **She's not that short, don't exaggerate.** I have to say that she must still be just at the five foot mark, though."

"Hmmph," The foul-mouthed man continued, crossing his arms in front of his chest, "She carries a naginata, and if I know the bitch at all she must still carry around her fucking old ANBU mask."

"Very well," Sasori turned to the leader, "We'll go get her."

"Excellent. After you meet her, take her to the base in Amegakure. If you must then take her by force, but only if it is absolutely necessary. Understood?"

In sync Deidara and Sasori responded, "Hai."

"As for the rest of you; you are to proceed with your duties as you normally would. I will contact you when our medic arrives in Ame. You are all dismissed."

"Finally!" Hidan's image faded out of view, and one by one the other Akatsuki members followed in suit until only Tobi, Pein, and Konan were left.

"Well, this is an interesting decision you've made, Pein." The masked-man's voice had changed; it was deeper and more mature. His whole countenance had altered as well from childish and hyperactive to calm and dominant.

"Yes, but even you must admit that having a medic will advance our cause greatly."

For the first time since the meeting had started, Konan spoke with a quiet tone, "With a shinobi skilled in medical jutsu, our members will have higher survival and success rates. It's also possible that she will be able to enhance the others abilities on the field with her medical knowledge and kekkei genkai."

A smirk could be _heard_ in 'Tobi's' voice, "Don't you think you should give the others some more credit. They are S-Ranked shinobi, after all."

Konan retorted tersely, "Anything can happen, Madara-san."

Madara chuckled, "True to that… True to that."

-0-

In a heavily forested area of the southeastern portion of the Land of Fire, Deidara sat on one of the higher branches of an oak tree, a smug look on his face, glancing at Sasori- who opted to stay on the forest floor.

"So Dana, Zetsu said that this girl was just preparing to leave the Land of Waves. I was thinking that if we travel fast enough, we could intercept her where the bridge touches the Land of Fire, un. We'd need to travel on one of my birds, though."

"I'd hate to admit it, but you may be right." Deidara's smirk grew bolder as he jumped down from his perch. "Now be quick about it, or we may lose her." Within a few seconds a large bird- big enough to carry both Deidara's and Sasori's bulk- 'poofed' to existence.

"Alright, Sasori my man. Let's go."

-0-

 **Author's Note:**

To those who have reached the end of the chapter, hello! And thank you for reading my story.

I am Khaos, and it is my pleasure to finally put up the first chapter of my long time brain child. I do hope that all who read it will enjoy, and I look forward to posting more of it here. I do plan on putting up chapters biweekly, but please be patient if I may be a little late. As you all may know, life can be quite a bitch and get in the way sometimes. Plus, I do need to attend the job that pays for the electricity and internet that acts as the lifeblood of my computer and, thus, this project, so that may put a damper things. However, I will try my best!

In any case, please leave a review. Questions, comments, concerns, etcetera, etcetera are all welcome by me and, in fact, encouraged. They do tend to inspire me, and can help move my writing along.

And before I forget, I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. That pleasant and well-earned right belongs to Kishimoto-san. I do, however, own my lovely OC and her companion, both of whom shall be introduced in the next chapter.

Ja ne.


	2. Bird

– Bird-

"People think it would be fun to be a bird because you could fly. But they forget the negative side, which is the preening."

Jack Handey, 'Deep Thoughts from Saturday Night Live'

-0-

 _'Hmm…'_

In the only inn that could be found in the Land of Waves, a young woman turned around in the small, plain room she rented, checking her surroundings for the second time. A hand with black painted nails in an elbow-length, finger-less glove (which mimicked her other hand) drifted to the large tan pouch on her left hip and the black holster on her right thigh.

 _'On-the-go food: check._

 _'Kunai, shurikan, and senbon: check.'_

Next the hand checked for the two large summoning scrolls that hung from a loop of wide black fabric on her back.

 _'My summoning scrolls with all my medical and extra shit: check.'_

Her chocolate brown orbs locked on to the naginata on her bed. Its mahogany staff shone from the recent polishing that the woman gave it. The blade was hidden in a plain black leather covering that opened up at the blade's back- but was currently tied by a thin, turquoise rope. That same kind of string was wrapped around the area where the shaft and the blade met and created a tassel that connected to it. Quickly, she plucked it off the bed, loving the familiar feel in her hands before strapping the weapon diagonally between her back and the scrolls.

 _'My most favorite weapon of all: check.'_

Next she walked over to the nightstand where her mask lay. It was from her old days, when she was a part of the Yugakure ANBU. Shaped like a wolf, turquoise accented the insides of the ears and the edges of the slanted eye holes- which were covered by a nearly translucent, black cloth that kept her eyes hidden but still allowed her to see. The mask was black on one side and white on the other, but there were tendrils of either color reaching from the median of the mask, as if the white side were trying to overtake the black, and vice-versa. This she hung from her hip opposite from her pouch.

 _'Mask: check. … It looks like I've got everything!'_

A smile on her pale face, the girl took one last look at the full-length mirror that hung from the back of the room's door. Her midnight black hair went down to her tailbone, and was tied at the very end with black hair elastic. Chin length bangs framed her face, parted to the left. A black, spaghetti strap midriff covered her medium size breasts, while tight, black pants were tucked into her knee length shinobi sandals. All the skin that would have been exposed on her arms, chest and abdomen due to her shirt, was covered by a long sleeved fishnet armor. She wore her black cloth hitai-ate around her neck, the metal bearing a scratch across the three diagonal lines that symbolized Yugakure. Her toes were painted like her fingernails.

"Well Mitsuki," she told herself, voice quiet but full of happy confidence, "It looks like you're good to go! Now I just need to find Kira. Damn this place for not allowing dogs inside. It's a shame that this is the only place to stay in the entire area."

Exiting her room, the former ANBU made her way to the shabby looking lobby. Mitsuki paid the room fee and asked the receptionist if he had seen a dog running around outside.

He gave her a curious look. "So that's your dog?"

"I suppose you could say that, but it's more like I'm his human."

"That mutt's been sitting outside the doors all night and morning. Hasn't moved from his spot at all."

Mitsuki sighed. She wasn't very surprised even though she kept hoping that the dog would do _something_ without being right at her side and without being given an order to go somewhere she wasn't. It was strange, at least she thought so.

"Meh… Thanks, man."

"Of course, ma'am."

Sure enough, when Mitsuki stepped out of the building and into the morning sun she was greeted by a large canine. Kira came up to her hip at the withers, and when he jumped up on her and rested his paws on her shoulders- to better lick her face- he was taller than her height of five feet.

"Hey, down boy, down." Mitsuki laughed, pushing the dog down. The dog's bushy, curled tail wagged excitedly as he looked up at her. "I know. I missed you too, but it doesn't mean you can slobber on my face!"

He was a beautiful beast with a dense, medium length, dark, almost black, brindle coat, and white accents on his muzzle and legs that were meant to protect him from cold, snowy conditions. He was built for rugged terrain; highly muscular, long legs, and tough, large paws. His brown eyes always shone intelligently. Even though he couldn't talk like ninja canines could, he seemed to understand everything that he heard. If Mitsuki asked him to do something or get something for her, he would follow her orders down to the last 't'.

The kunoichi ran her hand along his back and enjoyed feeling the coarse fur that was intermixed with a silky soft undercoat. "Alright Kira. It's time to go now." A bark was elicited from the dog. "Heh, heh. Yeah, I know. We move around too much, but I kinda like this lifestyle."

With that, they both made their way through the small village. They walked briskly, weaving through the early morning crowd without much problem. In no time they were at the bridge, which they proceeded to cross without rest. Even at the unbroken pace that they had continued from their start in the village it would still take them a few hours to cross the expansive structure.

-0-

It was nearly noon when an unusual, large bird landed just at the edge of the Great Naruto Bridge on the Land of Fire's boarder. After dropping off its passengers, the creature stepped back about a meter and waited.

"It's about time that we got here," Sasori grumbled, looking straight out at the bridge. It was long enough that he couldn't make out the small island nation that it connected to.

Deidara frowned at his partner. "Hey, you really shouldn't complain, un. You know it as well as I do, Danna, that if we had gone on foot it would have taken a lot longer. Besides," the terrorist slowly began to smirk, "I think that we've managed to intercept our target."

"Hmm, let's hope you're right."

The two could see the figure of a female, as well as some dog, crossing the bridge towards them. They could make out a long weapon on her, so it was a good indication to her identity since Hidan said she would be wielding a naginata, but she was too far away to tell anything else.

As the puppet master settled for waiting right in the middle of the bridge's edge, Deidara leaned off to the side on the nearest tree, his arms crossed. "What do you think her kekkei genkai is, Sasori no Danna? Leader-sama never elaborated on it, un."

Sasori merely grunted.

"You know, it could be quite artistic, un."

Eyes narrowing at the comment, Sasori turned just enough to glare at his partner. "And what would you know about art, brat? You're hardly an artist, even if you call yourself one."

The bomber's eye twitched. "Hmph, I could say the same thing about you, Danna. Art is an explosion, un. Even though I feel like I should respect you as a fellow 'artist', I have to say that you're grotesque puppet show can hardly compare with _my_ art, un."

"What did you say, brat?" Sasori's tail rose up, poised to strike.

-0-

Mitsuki's brows furrowed. As she and Kira were nearing the edge of the bridge, she noticed that there were two people waiting there. Well, more like arguing there, from what she could tell. Both were sporting strange black cloaks emblazoned with red clouds and straw hats that had strips of paper hanging from the rims to hide their faces.

Beside her, Kira's fur bristled and a low growl emanated from deep in his throat. He obviously got a bad feeling from the pair, and Mitsuki tensed with the dog's reaction.

 _'I trust that dog. There's no reason for him to act this way unless there was some kind of danger around. If he doesn't like the two, then they can't be good news._

 _'Hmm… I could jump off the bridge and onto the water to avoid them, but Kira can't walk on water and he'd complain pretty loudly if I carried him. He could swim, but the splashing would attract unwanted attention too._

 _'Either way, I guess I don't have any choice but to face these guys.'_

"Hush!" Kira instantly quieted at the kunoichi's command, though his fur was still on end.

Instinct told her to act cool as she approached the duo, but to her surprised they were so wrapped up in whatever they were arguing about that they didn't even notice her, or if they did, they didn't acknowledge her presence.

Head held high and ready to grab her naginata from it's place on her back at a moment's notice, Mitsuki loudly cleared her throat to get their attention.

It worked.

Slowly, the two quieted and turned to face the kunoichi. On their faces it was clear that they were upset at being interrupted, but that irritation soon turned to a near business like expression for the shorter one and a slight smirk on the blonde.

"You're in my way." Stating the obvious, Mitsuki looked at the two with slight boredom. She exuded a nonchalant confidence but, really, she felt on edge. Her gut was telling her that these guys were dangerous. Yes, she was a former ANBU member. Yes, she was powerful. But no, she wasn't stupid. However, she was ready to defend and attack if necessary.

In a grizzled voice, the shorter one responded. "Are you Kurosawa, Mitsuki?"

"What if I was?" Looking at his blood shot eyes made her own eye twitch once. The deadly intensity of his stare gave her what she would call the 'heebie-jeebies.'

The blond one grinned at her, his one visible blue eye much friendlier than the other's. "That's easy, un. You're just going to have to come with us."

One of Mitsuki's eyebrows rose, "Oh really… Maybe you could tell me why and where?"

The blonde's hand reached out to her as if trying to lull her towards him. Kira barked angrily and he looked at the dog dubiously but didn't back down as he approached. "To Ame. Our leader wants to see you."

"Leader of what?"

"Akatsuki."

A crease formed as Mitsuki's black eyebrows came together. She had heard of the group before when she was in ANBU. S-class criminals, highly dangerous, must be destroyed. Or at least that was she was told by her former superiors. Quite honestly, she didn't give a rat's ass about the organization, but she was curious. Why her?

Testing the waters, she questioned, "And if I don't agree to go with you?"

This time, the shorter one spoke, "Then we'll take you by force."

"Hmmm," The kunoichi licked her lips. She wasn't sure if she could take on both of them. It was possible that she could, but she didn't feel like risking it. She also couldn't help herself; there was an intense curiosity that was building up inside of her. She wanted to know what this 'leader' wanted with her.

"I suppose I could tag along with you." Her words were drawled out slowly. "I don't really have anything better to do."

"Great!" The blonde grinned, walking back towards a large bird behind the tree line that Mitsuki hadn't noticed before. The thing hobbled closer to the four of them as he approached and spread out its wings when it stood under open sky.

"Let's go, Kurosawa." The short one called to her. He had already started heading towards the tan creature.

Mitsuki walked forward, her tone dubious as she asked, "We're traveling on a bird?"

"Yeah, what of it, un?"

"Nothing," she muttered, jumping up after the two. She settled herself behind them, then held her arm out for Kira who, after giving Mitsuki a look that stated exactly what was on his canine mind ('Do you really think this is a good idea?'), jumped up and laid himself next to his mistress.

"We're not taking that thing with us," The short one snapped at her.

Mitsuki looked at him squarely in the face, "The dog comes, or I don't."

A minute passed as the two stared each other down before he grudgingly said, "Fine."

A small victory smile graced Mitsuki's face as she wrapped an arm around Kira to keep him from falling as the bird took off, crawling higher and higher in the air.

It didn't take long before the excursion became awkwardly silent, so Mitsuki tried to break the ice. "Sooooo… You guys know my name. What are yours'?"

"Deidara, un."

"…Sasori."

"How long do you think it will take for this bird to reach Amegakure?"

"Kurosawa."

"Yes, Sasori-san."

"Be quiet before I kill you."

Mitsuki rolled her eyes. ' _Meh, this is going to be a long flight.'_

-0-

 **Author's Note:**

Hey, Khaos here! Weekends are much better for updates. At least I think so. In any case, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thank you to those who are following!

Ja ne.


	3. Crossroads

– Crossroads -

"Mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness, the other to extinction. Let us pray we choose correctly."

Woody Allen

-0-

Nothing could compare to Mitsuki's elation when the giant bird landed just short of Ame's ominous wall of continuous rain. The ride there was tense and filled with the constant arguments and death threats the two Akatsuki members spat at each other. She had been quiet, though, listening to the two bicker, trying to squeeze out useful information about them from the nonsense. All she could get was both had an intense love of art, but neither could agree with the other on what type.

As soon as their ride landed Mitsuki jumped to solid ground, Kira right behind her, savoring the feeling of stability.

"So… where to?"

Sasori's blood shot gaze moved to the woman, who didn't even bother to bat an eye at the withering stare. "In to the heart of Ame. Now come on, I don't want to waste time." Turning towards the city of rain, he moved quickly.

Mitsuki followed with Kira at her side and Deidara close behind. The blonde leaned forward, whispering in her ear, "I'm curious, un."

She raised an eyebrow, "About what?"

"Leader-sama said you had a kekkei genkai. So what is it?" Deidara smiled at her, his expression reminding her of a typical mischievous, little boy.

Mitsuki didn't allow her surprise to show on her face. _'How the hell does this leader person know about that? And how much else do they know? But if Deidara's asking question then he can't know too much, now can he? The Akatsuki…. They just got a little more interesting.'_ A smile crept on her own face, her tone playfully sarcastic. "That's classified information there. But just maybe you can find out for yourself later."

A frown quickly replaced his smile and just as Deidara was going to complain about her ambiguous answer Sasori quickly snapped at them to shut up. The strange character continued his brisk pace in the pouring rain as the others followed, passing the clustered, metal buildings of Ame. The city itself just looked soggy and rusted. Mitsuki usually loved being in the rain, but there was just something about this city. It was as if the falling water just brought some sort of weight down on Ame. Even the citizens were hunched over, tired of the constant torrent hitting them. She couldn't help but think of the place as just downright depressing. However, some hope thrived in the city. Under each the eves that protected the goods of vendors from the rain, hung paper angels of various sizes. They could also be seen within the windows of the buildings. She could catch scraps of conversations idolizing the mysterious being whom the paper figures represented.

Eventually they reached the tallest building at the center of the city. Its huge steel doors loomed over them before opening silently by some unseen force. As they entered, the doors moved on their own again, closing just as quietly. Mitsuki's brown orbs took in her surroundings. It was a wide, extensive hallway that they entered, harshly lit by the florescent lights on the plain gray walls. There were four charcoal colored doors leading to some unknown rooms, and between each door were red vases on black glass pedestals. The ceiling hung high above them, the same color as the walls. At the end of the hallway were a spiraled staircase and an elevator that were next to each other, the latter which they entered.

Even though there were three people, with Sasori's bulky mass taking up a sizable area, and a large dog in the elevator, it still was spacious enough for there to be extra room between them. Deidara closed the steel grated door and pressed the button for the tenth, and highest, floor. The building was huge with high ceilings on every floor, and from what Mitsuki could see through the elevator doors, there was plenty of living space for many people just on the fifth and sixth floors alone, which appeared to have been occupied not too long ago. The fifth floor had a living and kitchen area, both of which were filled with clutter and dirty dishes. The sixth had another set of hallways with several doors, one of which was open, showing Mitsuki that this floor must have all the bedrooms.

It wasn't long before they were at the tenth floor, and Deidara moved the doors apart. There was a long hallway and just across from them was a large door which Mitsuki and Kira entered, leaving the two artists to wait in the hall. Inside there was a spacious office. Wide, floor length windows, spaced apart by towering bookshelves, looked out over the city of Ame. The shelves themselves were stuffed to the brim with ancient books, scrolls, and masses of loose papers. In the center of the room was a giant desk. It was made of a darker wood that Mitsuki could not identify, richly engraved with a collage of images, beautiful flowers and swirls mixed with grizzly fights between ninja, different breeds of animals and more. The carvings covered the entirety of the desk except for the smooth top which was littered with papers, brush and ink, among other clutter. In front of the desk sat two squat and plush black chairs.

However, behind the desk, sitting on a large, luxurious, black leather chair was another figure, cloaked in the same fabric as Sasori and Deidara. Bright orange hair stood out among the black, and an amazing amount of piercings adorned a sharp, pale face. His hands were clasped together, resting on the desk. Though what bothered Mitsuki were the eerie, ringed eyes that were locked on her _. 'So that must be their leader...'_

The orange haired man coughed once to clear his throat, causing Mitsuki's muscles to tighten. Kira, sensing that, also tensed his massive body.

Her head held up in pride, she waited for the Akatsuki's leader to speak first.

His voice was deep, full of an earned air of command, "Kurosawa, Mitsuki." His hand gestured to the seats in front of him. "Sit, please."

The obsidian haired girl obeyed, walking at a slow, deliberate pace as she judged the outcome of this meeting. She sat comfortably, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other, keeping any disturbance from bubbling on her face. Despite the chills his powerful air and strange eyes brought her, she kept her perfect poker face.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've brought you here." Mitsuki nodded once. The pierced man kept a stoic face, just as she did, "I am Pein, leader of the Akatsuki. You've heard of us?" The question sounded more like a statement.

Again she nodded, "Of course, news of your work travels quickly."

"Now…" Pein flipped through some papers in front of him, "Kurosawa, Mitsuki. Age 21. Former Anbu for the village of Yugakure. You have quite the impressive reputation here. A thought-to-be-dead kekkei genkai. Impeccable skill as a medic. A long list of high level missions, none failed, even before you were a jonin. And another long list of mercenary work after your defection." He looked up at her. "Now what I have for you is a proposal."

Mitsuki's face broke its stoic expression with a raised eyebrow, "What kind of proposal are you talking about?"

"I'll be blunt, Kurosawa-san. Akatsuki is in need of a medic, and I want you to fill the position."

Holding up her hand in pause, Mitsuki shook her head as she stated matter-of-factly, "I can't do it. I have my own goals to go through. Besides, I..." Her words were stopped in their tracks by Pein's narrowed stare.

"It seems that we're at a crossroads. On one hand, you could join us. You'd have decent wages, a room of your own when you stay at this base, food, and a room for your medical work with more than ample equipment. On the other hand, I could simply kill you." Mitsuki's head was still held high, but her lips twisted slightly in a tight grimace. Pein's next words were spoken softly, meant for Mitsuki's ears only, "As for your goals... I already know of what happened to your sibling. I can assure you that your target and mine are the same. Uzumaki Naruto and his team could be yours for the taking, if you join my organization"

Hearing that name, the woman's eye twitched, a buried ache trying to force its way up. _'Maybe, just maybe... This might be the fastest way to find_ them _. I hope I'm not making a mistake, but I can't just die here either.'_ She forced her words to be quick and confident as she spoke. "Alright, then, Leader-sama. You've got yourself a medic."

Pein allowed a small smile on his face, "Excellent. There is cloak and ring for you in your room. The ring must go on the left little finger. That and the cloak are mandatory uniform.

"Deidara will show you to your room, and then he will show you to our medical room. You will work from there; however you will be out most of the time, joining the other teams on their missions. Do you have any questions?"

"Not a question, but a request," Mitsuki stood up, "I would like the medical files of your members. I would also like to perform a physical on them. If I'm going to be their medic, I need to stay up to date with them."

Pein went silent in contemplation for a few seconds, "Very well, I will tell everyone to come back to base by the end of the week. Records will be brought to you tomorrow."

"Thanks," Mitsuki nodded as she and Kira exited the office and followed the awaiting Sasori and Deidara to the elevator.

-0-

Deidara had left Mitsuki in her room, telling her to meet him on the fifth floor when she had gotten settled in. Her room was down a separate hall way –for which she was glad; since it couldn't be seen from the elevator or stairs it offered an extra bit of privacy- and was the last one to the right. The space was a decent size and was able to fit a queen sized bed, dresser and nightstand. The walls were the same gray as the rest of the building.

The dresser and nightstand were black; the drawers held only two black capris and two black sleeveless shirts. The bed was neatly dressed with a black comforter, silk red sheets, and various black and red pillows, on which Kira had jumped up and made himself comfortable, quickly falling into a light nap. At the foot of her new bed was a small ring. Mitsuki had dropped her belongings next to the jewelry and then picked it up. As she rolled it around her hands she noted the smooth silver on which a slate blue face rested. On the blue was the kanji for "void." She examined it further, figuring that it was already sized for her left pinky.

Hesitantly the woman put the ring on her finger. Although it fit perfectly, Mitsuki felt a small sting, like electricity, followed by a faint, almost unnoticeable, connection to nine other beings. The connection was easily ignorable, but she figured that the rings must have been how Akatsuki communicated.

On the right side of the room were two doors, one led to a shallow closet. There hung a few of the trade-mark Akatsuki cloaks. Mitsuki tried them on, finding them to be tailored exactly to her short figure. Considering how much Pein knew about her already, she wasn't disturbed at the perfect sizing of the ring and cloaks. She would find out eventually how he knew so much. Or, at least, that's what she figured.

The other door led to a bathroom. Again the walls were gray, but it was fitted with a white porcelain toilet, a pedestal sink of the same material with a silver-rimmed, oval mirror, and a stand up shower with glass, sliding doors. Next to the shower was a slim, silver towel rack. To Mitsuki's relief, she also found a tall, white cabinet fixture that was filled with black and red towels, toilet paper, and other small necessities such as a tooth brush and tooth paste, unscented soaps, and washrags.

Mitsuki had to meet Deidara downstairs, but not quite yet. She couldn't help herself but to take a few moments to wash off the stress of the day. After summoning a small bag from one of her scrolls, she removed another set of fresh clothes identical to what she currently wore. Mitsuki considered those scrolls one of the most important pieces of equipment she carried. All of her medical equipment, extra weapons, and personal supplies such as extra clothes were stored in there instead of adding extra weight on her back.

Five minutes was all she needed to scrub her skin and hair, and after she left the steamy shower she felt like new. She dried herself off quickly, putting on her clothes and shoes and topping it off with one of her new Akatsuki cloaks. It was soft and silky on the inside and kept her at a comfortable temperature despite the thickness of the fabric.

Before she left her room she grabbed the summoning scroll containing her medical equipment and weapons, tucking it under her arm as she took one more look at the ring on her left pinky. The little piece shone brightly.

As Mitsuki opened the door, Kira lifted his massive head, ready to move by her side, but was stop by a single movement of her free hand. "It's ok, Kira. I'll be fine." The black dog rested his head down on the bed again, trusting his mistress' judgment.

Mitsuki moved quickly down the spiral staircase to the fifth floor, finding Deidara lounging on a black, plush sofa flipping through the channels of an impressively large screen. Sasori was nowhere to be found. The blonde's attention was directed to the TV, so Mitsuki cleared her throat to grab it.

The blonde looked behind him, smiling at her. "The cloak looks good on you, un."

She shrugged, "I suppose." She looked around seeing the living room, kitchen, and even a dining room in the same black, gray and reds of the rest of the base. The living room was large with plenty of seating, but the luxury was diminished by the clutter of magazines, kunai, and other oddities on the wooden side and coffee tables. Dirty dishes were piled in stacks in the kitchen sink and the coffee pot had old liquid in it, but that area was otherwise clean. The dining room seemed unused.

Deidara noticed her eyes wander, stating, "Yeah, sorry you had to come into this mess, un. The maid comes tomorrow."

Mitsuki's eyebrow rose, "You guys have a maid?"

"Yeah, un. Kakuzu hates it, but this place would probably go to hell without her. She comes twice a week, and don't worry, if you don't want her in your room she won't clean there, un."

 _'That's cool. I've never had anyone clean up after me. I guess I'll take advantage of that.'_ She also wondered who Kakuzu was, but she knew that as soon as she got those medical records she'd know what she needed to. "So where's this med room that I'm supposed to work out of?"

"Oh yeah." Deidara jumped over the back of the couch he was sitting on. He walked over to the staircase motioning Mitsuki to follow. "It's right down here, on the third floor." They moved down the stairs at leisure, Mitsuki just listening to Deidara go on about how Leader had gotten the room ready while he and his partner had been here a few weeks ago and how the maid put it together, pulling packages of equipment from the shipping boxes.

When they finally got there, Mitsuki was impressed. The room had ample glass cabinets filled not just medical equipment such as gauze, syringes, scalpels, tongs, among others, but it also had beakers, weights, and other items she could use to create antidotes, and study various diseases. When she looked into the full size refrigerator she saw a plethora of different antibiotics, antidotes, and general medicines. Next to it was another cabinet devoted to saline bags and other medicines that didn't require the refrigeration. There was a small sink, next to which an autoclave sat. Off to the side was a door leading to a small bathroom. There was also a small desk with an average swivel stool for her. And in the middle of the room was a large exam table that, to her delight, could be pulled into a chair, as well as flipped over into a stainless steel operating table. The entire room was any medic's dream to work from.

 _'Wow. This leader really went all out here. Then again, this whole place has a sense of luxury to it. It seems like the Akatsuki make more than enough from what ever missions they do.'_

Deidara had sat himself down on the swivel chair, watching the black haired girl go through each and every crevice of the room and take mental notes of all the different items that it contained. When she finished he saw her take the scroll she brought with her and unroll it on the exam table. "What's that, un?"

" _That_ ," she stated, "is a summoning scroll. This place has everything that I could ever need and more, but…" Deidara tilted his head, giving her a questioning gaze. "The only thing it lacks is medicinal herbs." After a few hand signs a long, squat chest that was made of oak appeared in a cloud of smoke. It had at least a hundred various drawers that ranged from being so small it could only store a few needles, to large enough to hold a bull frog.

Mitsuki motioned for him to come to her, and he obliged. She opened some of the compartments, naming off the different dried plants. "Cat's claw, dandelion, astragalus, foxglove, elderberry. There's also wolf's-bane, ruti, angel's trumpet, and nightshade. Most times I prefer to use my own herbal remedies since they tend to work better than any commercial medicines, so I keep this chest on my person." She noted the blonde eyeing the plants curiously. He was about to reach for one of them before she quickly swatted away his hand and added "I've got to warn you though. Don't go through this thing without me."

"And why's that?" Deidara's voice was colored in arrogance as he huffed at her.

"Because some of these plants can just as easily kill as they could cure you. Take this foxglove," she pulled out a stem with several dried purple, bell-shaped flowers before continuing to speak as if reading straight from a textbook, "It can be used to cure cardiac problems and can regulate heart rate. But if you don't know what you're doing this little flower can cause nausea, vomiting, drooling, tremors, seizures, death... The list goes on and on." She put the plant back in its proper place, closing the compartment. "Some of these plants kill, some cure, and some are a double edge sword. You have to know what you're doing."

"You know a lot about plants, un." He watched her put the chest on the counter space.

"Not really. I only know about the ones I can use."

"You might get along with Zetsu, then. Maybe… He has a green house in the base. You could go to him for some more plants."

"Hmm, maybe. There's one more thing Leader-sama forgot for this room. I need to look at the medical records first, that way I know what I need ordered, but I want to keep you guys up to date with your shots."

"Shots?"

"Vaccines. If I'm going to be in charge of your health, then I want to make sure you don't die from something like the flu or tetanus. Not when it's so easy to prevent."

Deidara smirked at her, "You're really taking this seriously, un? I thought that you might hate it here."

"Well..." Mitsuki sighed, "This is my new job description now. Whether I like it or not isn't important. What is important is that I do my job right." ' _Besides,'_ she thought _, 'Sticking with this group will bring me closer to coming across them. I need to find out what happened…'_

Just the thought of the Uzumaki boy and his team made her tense, eyes focusing on nothing, making her heart fill with some sorrow. She may have never seen them before, but three years ago they took something precious from her. The glimmer of happiness, the chance of meeting the one person she could have held dear, gone before she could ever even meet him. She wanted… no, needed to find out what happened. Then she could take action for that death accordingly.

Deidara watched curiously as she tensed, only to suddenly look up and smile at him. "I guess I'm done here. What's next?"

He was slightly hesitant with his words, still wondering what preoccupied her mind, "I guess we'll go back up. I'm starting to starve, un. I'm going to make something to eat."

"Hmm. That sounds like a good idea. I'm getting pretty hungry too."

-0-

 **Author's Note:**

Hey guys. I was thinking about something earlier last week. When I posted this story up I had rated it M for mature, and gave my own little disclosure of gore, a lemon, and the like. I had just realized that some of you who are reading this might have been wonder where all of that sort of content may be. Rest assured, there is blood and action, but it's in some later chapters. I've actually written about fifteen chapters and some interludes already, and the good parts are on the way! I just want to space out these chapters so I don't burn through them and then keep you waiting forever for the next one. Just have patience my friends.

In any case, ja ne!


	4. Complaints

-Complaints-

I'm not about talking and finger-pointing and complaining. I'm about getting things done.

Christine Quinn

-0-

The week passed quickly. It was filled with conversation between Mitsuki and Deidara, lounging in the living room watching the TV, occasional outbursts of the childish masked-man Tobi, and Mitsuki's dutiful study of the organization's medical records. However, her 'study' was short lived; to her disappointment the files were sparse. For the most part, the records only had names, profile photos, birth dates, and some other useless tidbits. She could get more information from a bingo book than from the files she was given. Pein and Tobi's files were altogether nonexistent. In her frustration, Mitsuki nearly threw away the near blank files of deceased members who were killed by Kakuzu, only keeping them in a 'better safe than sorry' afterthought.

The maid, Ayaka, made her appearance twice in that week. She was a plain, quiet girl, but she cleaned quickly and with precision. Not a single spot was left untouched, the living area and kitchen sparkled. Ayaka only went into a few of the bedrooms, and after Mitsuki had allowed the maid into her room, she was thoroughly impressed by the shine left in the wake her work. Besides the fifth and sixth floors, Ayaka also made her way through the other floors in the base though she only cleaned them once a week, whereas the Akatsuki living areas were tended to on both her days of work.

Mitsuki, to her surprise, learned that the bulky body she had first seen as Sasori was merely a puppet he controlled from the inside. Deidara had told her that when she gave a questioning glance at the boyish face and crimson red hair that sparsely came out in the open on his own business.

As the week progressed, she caught glances of the other members. They came in at random as they finished their other missions. She could name them, due to the files, but they otherwise stayed to themselves. Mitsuki guessed they were in need of rest.

Before the last team arrived, Deidara and Tobi were in the living room, the blonde threatening to kill the other while sending small, firecracker-like bombs his way. Mitsuki was sitting on a bar stool at the adjoining kitchen's counter, fingers stained with ink from the brush in her hand. Papers from the medical records were scattered around her, while in front of the woman was a paper filled with scribbles of her plans on what to do during her physical exams and a list of vaccinations she thought the members needed. She was able to acquire them and had already set them up neatly in the medical room's fridge. The liquid in syringes. The syringes organized on eight labeled trays according to member. Pein refused for an examination, to Mitsuki's dislike, while she had took the liberty of giving herself and her dog, Kira, much needed vaccines prior to that day.

When the last team entered the base, Mitsuki heard the loud familiar voice along with a deep gravelly one travel up the stairwell long before she saw who they belonged to. Quickly, she gathered the papers in a neat pile, still ignoring the bickering of Deidara and pleas of mercy from Tobi. Her attention was focused on the staircase, anxiously awaiting her reunion with an old teammate.

From the records, she was surprised to find out he was a member and since then she had been awaiting his arrival, not knowing what to say to him. They hadn't parted on the best of terms, but they didn't quite part on the worst.

As Hidan came up the stairs with the taller man she recognized as Kakuzu, the silver haired man's argument about Kakuzu's 'damned money' fell quiet before he said, "You.."

"Last time I saw you," Mitsuki started, her personality easily transitioning in the instant to what it used to be when they had been around each other before. It was snarky and sassy, but not aggressive. "I was saving your ass from Anbu. Looks like you're not doing much better now… If you need him," She smirked, pointing her chin to Kakuzu, "to protect your _porcelain_ face."

Kakuzu let out a brief snicker, while Deidara and Tobi had fallen silent as they watched the encounter. Irritation at the insult spread on Hidan's face, yet Mitsuki could see the delight in his eyes as he looked at her. Those two emotions converged as the corners of his lips twitched wryly upwards and he spat out his words through his teeth, "You bitch! You haven't fucking change a bit, have you?"

"Nope." Was her simple response.

"Bitch!"

"Ass wipe!"

"Cunt!"

"Shithead!"

The two were smirking at the other as they threw derogatory names at each other. Their yelling brought the rest of the Akatsuki, save Pein and Konan, down from their rooms, wondering what was going on, and they each took a place in the living room.

"You really want to go on with this war, Hidan- _chan_?" She laughed at him. "I can keep this up all day!"

Before Hidan could retort, Kira came bounding down the stairs, barking angrily in response to hearing his mistress' shouts. He pounced on the Jashinist's back, making the man plant his face on the polished floor, and just when the canine was about to bite down with his massive fangs Mitsuki quietly commanded, "Stop." The large dog did as he was told immediately, sitting on his target as looked at his mistress with a tilted head.

Mitsuki quickly composed herself, grabbing the pile of records while ignoring the curious stares of the other men around her, and pulled Kira up the stairs by his red leather collar to her room.

The living room was remained silent until Kakuzu rubbed his temples and muttered, "She's like a miniature Hidan…"

"Tobi's never heard such bad words from her. And Tobi's been around all week." The masked man spoke in a horrified tone. "Hidan-sempai is a bad influence!"

"Yeah, un." Deidara agreed quietly, still processing the scene he witnessed.

Grunting, Hidan stood up. "She's a fucking nutcase." Although he was upset for being tackled by a dog, a smirk still graced his face. He missed how she could keep up with him with the profanity. They had become shinobi together, climbing up the ranks of genin, chunin, and jonin, only parting teams when she joined Yugakure's Anbu and he had become a Jashinist. He remembered how she would only break from her respectable personality when the two were together, becoming as raucous as him. That hadn't changed from what he could tell. The name-calling match that the Akatsuki had witnessed had been fairly common for the two and neither were offended by the words they shot at the other. Yet Hidan couldn't be sure how much she had changed. It had been some years since they last met but he was glad that had stayed the same.

Pointed teeth glimmered inside a grin as Kisame asked, "So Hidan, that brat's our medic?"

"She's a bipolar bitch, is what she is." He huffed, "She'll probably be fucking nice to you guys though." Hidan walked away, up the stairs, leaving the others to murmur among themselves.

-0-

Mitsuki ran her hand through Kira's course fur as he lay next to her on the bed when someone knocked on her door. The canine growled but she quickly shushed him. "Come in."

Hidan walked in, closing the door behind him, and she smiled at him. "Long time no see, huh?"

"No kidding. You know you could have avoided that whole fucking scene if you could stop the damn insults."

She laughed, "I know, but what fun would that be? Besides you know it's all smack-talk. Anything we say like that doesn't even mean a damn."

"Yeah," he grinned.

Unable to find anything else to say, they fell into an awkward silence, Hidan focusing on the wall while Mitsuki stared at Kira's blackish brindle coat. Then, a sudden thought popping to his mind, the Jashinist spoke up. "I remember that you wanted to look for your family. Did you find them?"

A hard look crept on her face, "They're all dead."

"Man..." Hidan groaned slightly, "That fucking sucks..."

"Yeah."

"What the fuck happened?"

Mitsuki drew her knees up to her chest, "I don't know exactly. Just whatever I could get from people. Apparently, I had a little brother. But he had same kekkei genkai I have. Mom wasn't able to send him away in time, like she did with me. What I heard was that the villagers killed Mom, and my brother killed our dad in self-defense."

"And your brother, what happened to him?"

"That's where the story gets choppy. I barely heard anything of him, and then suddenly there's word of him with one of the seven swordsmen. I got to the Land of Waves just a week after he was killed."

Hidan put a hand on her shoulder hesitantly, unsure of what to say to his old teammate. "…Shit happens, you know."

"Yeah, no shit..."

Another awkward silence began, though Mitsuki broke it this time, "So are you still doing that Jashin shit?"

"It's not shit!" He said harshly. "I've been granted Jashin's gift of immortality because of how fucking loyal I've been."

She looked at him incredulously. "You're lying."

"Like hell I am! Do you want me to fucking show you?" He pulled a metal spike from in his cloak, intending on using it on himself.

Hands held up, she replied, "Nope, nope, I'm good."

His face, excited before from the prospect of showing off his immortality, dropped immediately. "Whatever."

"…I've missed you…you know..." Head down, Mitsuki refused to meet his gaze. Even after the years and hardship, her feelings for him barely changed. She had never told him, in fear of it being unrequited, but she always felt a little more than just the friendship and teamwork that their history held.

Hidan's silence worried her until he lifted her chin so their eyes could meet. "I did too." He drew his face forward,his lips lightly brushing hers. Mitsuki's breathing hitched and her heart beat sped. But just before Hidan could make another move they both could hear Pein's voice loud and clear in their heads, thanks to their rings. "Everyone is to report to the third floor. Immediately."

Hidan clenched his teeth, furious for being interrupted, "Fucking Leader. Fuck him!"

Mitsuki rose from the bed immediately, almost glad for the disruption, and once again composed herself, "He must want the physicals done now."

"What fucking physicals?"

"As your medic I need a better understanding of how you guys tick and if anything's wrong with you. That way, if I'm ever treating anyone in an emergency I don't accidentally kill any you." She made her way to the door but as soon as she opened a frown formed on her lips as it she discovered a guilty looking Deidara and Tobi leaning in where the door previously occupied. "Were you two eaves dropping on us?!"

"Tobi wanted to make sure Mitsuki-chan was alright! Tobi didn't want Hidan-sempai to kill you!"

Mitsuki shook her head in exasperation, deciding in the moment to forgive and forget the invasion of privacy instead of wasting time getting angry about it, "Come on. We need to get going."

-0-

Pein stood in front of the door to the exam/operating room facing the Akatsuki. On his right side stood Konan, on his left was Mitsuki. Some of the members held stoic, if not bored, looks, while others appeared curious at what was going on. The room they currently stood in had the feel of a lobby with the waiting room chairs that sat around the group.

"For those who do not know, this is our medic, Kurosawa Mitsuki. At her request you all will undergo a physical examination so she can better serve our organization."

A chorus of complaints instantly emerged most of the men:

"This is completely unnecessary."

"What the fuck, man? I don't need it 'cause I'm fucking immortal!"

"It's a waste of time."

It was all silenced by Pein's usual withering gaze. "This is _mandatory_! All of you, except for Tobi, are to participate."

The chorus started back up:

"Why does he get a break, un?"

"That fucking brat can't be the only one that fucking escapes this!"

"But Tobi wants to take Mitsuki-chan's physical!"

From the corner of Mitsuki's eye she saw Pein's eye twitch before he growled out, "Enough! I will not hear any more of your complaining! Tobi will come with me to my office. The rest of you will await your turn, and when you are done you will wait for my orders for your next mission." Turning to the medic, the agitation in his ringed eyes seeming to bore holes in her, he said, "Mitsuki, if _any_ of them refuse come get me and I will set them straight."

"Gotcha, sir."

Chocolate orbs watched Pein leave up the spiral staircase with a disappointed Tobi reluctantly following him, waiting for them to be out of hearing range before speaking to the men and woman before her. "Alright then. Basically what I want to do fill out these pathetic excuses Leader-sama calls medical records and turn them into something respectable that I can use when I work with you guys. All I'll be doing are some simple tests, ask a few questions, and get you caught up on your vaccines."

"How much of our money did you spend, exactly, on these vaccines?"

"Common, Mitsuki. We've been doing perfectly fucking fine so far. We don't need to waste our time on this shit."

"Agreed. This is a complete waste of time. I have better things to do."

"Yeah, un. I haven't been sick since I was a kid. Why would that change now, un?"

Understanding now how Pein could get so agitated, Mitsuki glared at them. "Listen! I don't care how stupid you think this must be. It's been my experience that anything can happen, even to shinobi. For example, any one of you can be hit with the flu, or something worse, if you come into contact with it. Especially if you come into contact with the blood of someone you kill." Her glare was directed at Hidan for the last part before she looked at the rest of the members. "Then what's going to happen? You'll become incapacitated from illness, and be a useless burden to the Akatsuki. I've seen perfectly fine shinobi become incapacitated for months at a time by things like pneumonia, and others have gotten lock jaw simply from getting stabbed by a rusty kunai. All of that could have been easily avoided if they had just kept up to date with a damn medic." A low mumble still came from the men.

To Mitsuki's surprise, Itachi spoke for the first time since she had seen him. He was quiet, but everyone stopped to listen to him, "This seems highly intrusive. We are S-class criminals. If this information is stolen we would be compromised anyway."

Her tone became serious and professional. This was a problem that was on her mind the entire week, but she had already figured out a solution. "I've already settled that issue. Your information is personal, and only the specific individual and I will have access to their file. I assure you that compromised confidentiality won't be an issue." She debated with herself on telling them her secret to her solution, deciding that it would set them more at ease. "A while ago I acquired my summoning scrolls." These were the same two she carried with her to the base. "The seals on them are very secure and only react to my chakra. I'll put the records in there; therefore I will be the only one who can access them." Mitsuki was already confident in her ability not only as a medic, but also in her abilities with fuinjutsu. The seals she created in her scrolls would hold up against all except a shinobi who was truly seasoned in seal breaking.

Itachi nodded, finding her answer sufficient, while the rest of the men murmured again in reluctant consent.

"Now, I would rather not get Leader-sama involved in this, so what I'll do is take volunteers first. I'll restrain and drag into the exam room anyone who refuses." Her eyes swept through the group as she asked, "Ok, who's first?"

Konan stepped up, quiet and mellow. "I'll go."

Smiling warmly at her, Mitsuki gestured to the door, "Don't worry about a thing. I'll try and get you through here as quickly as I can."

-0-

 **Author's Note:**

*Insert me squealing like a little girl here* Yaaaaaaay! I got my first favorite and my first review! Heh, sorry for the outburst, but I'm just super happy about that. I've got to thank Happywheal for adding on OTR as a favorite, and then Emojisarelyf for the review. I'm glad you like my story!

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I can't wait to post the next one, though. But like I said I don't want to just burn though the content I've already written. The next chapter was one of my favorites to write so far since it features some bite sized one on one time with Mitsuki and most of the Akatsuki.

But for now, Khaos out. Ja ne!


	5. Pharmacon

-Pharmacon-

When a man goes through six years training to be a doctor he will never be the same. He knows too much.

Enid Bagnold

-0-

After feeling Pein's, well, pain of the Akatsuki's stubborn refusal of a simple physical exam, Mitsuki thought of Konan's mellow aura as completely refreshing. All of her question of medical history and allergies were met with quiet, polite answers. All of the tests were also responded to with the same cool demeanor. Konan didn't even bat an eye when she stuck her multiple times for the vaccines and to draw a sample of blood. Her exam took a matter of minutes and was peaceful as the medic filled out her file with everything that was needed.

Mitsuki enjoyed the blue haired woman's company. Keeping it to herself, she hoped that she and Konan would spend more time together in the future, feeling that a possibility of friendship, especially important as she was the only other female member, was there. Though she doubted it considering how the other kunoichi kept mostly to herself.

-0-

"So how long have you been doing this, un?"

Deidara was the next volunteer. His exam was filled with the same kind of small talk that they had shared the week before.

She placed the cold end of a stethoscope on his back, under his shirt. "I studied the medical arts when I became chunin. Now I want you to take a deep breath in. Okay let it out slowly."

As she put her equipment down and continued with the exam he kept on chattering. "Medicine as an art form..? I never thought of it that way. What's your reasoning for it, un?"

"Well, even though a lot of it is based on science and fact, not every case has a textbook example of what will happen and how to fix it. Medics have to be creative and think out of the box whenever an unusual case crosses their paths."

"Cool, un. Maybe I could watch your work some time?"

"Deidara. Didn't you just hear my speech on patient confidentiality? I can't let you do that. Well… Maybe on the field, there won't be much privacy there if I have to take care of any emergencies or minor wounds."

The blond smirked before flinching when she drew his blood. "Well then, I guess I'm just going to have to spend some more time with you so I can catch a glimpse, un."

Mitsuki paused for a moment, having to hold back the small smile that started to play on her lips before sticking him with a vaccine needle _, 'Is he trying to flirt with me?'_

"Quit flinching like a baby. It doesn't hurt that bad."

-0-

Mitsuki pulled out his file, glancing at it. "Hoshigaki, Kisame... Those are some interesting chompers you have."

"Thanks, kid," Kisame's mouth pulled into a grin, showing off the sharp, triangular teeth, "I filed them myself."

"Interesting." Her voice sounded professionally dull. "Any allergies?"

"Nope."

"Personal or family history of cardiac problems, high cholesterol, arthritis, or hypertension?"

"Nope, nope, no, and nope."

"Do you smoke or drink?"

"Hell no, but I do like my sake every now and then."

Mitsuki kept jotting down notes one Kisame's file as she asked more questions.

"At first I thought you were going to be another annoying brat like Hidan." He laughed, "You're not that bad though."

She shrugged, "He doesn't exactly bring out the best in people, but he's not as horrible as you'd think."

"If you say so." The blue skinned man sat through the battery of tests before speaking. "You look a lot like this kid that a fellow swordsman of mine had hanging around him. Yeah..." He took a closer look at her, "You look almost exactly like Zabuza's brat."

Mitsuki looked down at her next piece of equipment. She knew that he had to be right. That was her brother after all. She decided to keep the confirmation to herself, though. "It must be a simple coincidence."

-0-

Itachi went after his partner, another quiet soul that Mitsuki enjoyed. He passed almost every test with flying health, except for two. The last one in particular made her sit down on her stool chair, sighing in disbelief.

She had him read from an eye chart after checking his reflexes, and found his sight disastrous. His left eye could only see the largest line; his right was able to see down only to the second largest. Both together weren't much better. Mitsuki could only wince with each wrong kanji as he tried to read the chart. She had used an ophthalmoscope, a device that poured a beam of light into the eye while she looked through a magnified lens for a close look into its inner functions, along with another set of tests so she could figure out just how bad the Uchiha's eyesight was. The results had horrified her.

In her seated position, Mitsuki tapped her black painted fingers on her thigh. "Uchiha, Itachi. This is _the worst_ eye related case I have ever seen." She spoke slowly, hoping that he would catch the gravity of the situation. "Glaucoma, retinal atrophy, and blood in the fluid of your eyes are on the top of the list. I'm surprised that you haven't developed any cataracts. Do you have any idea why your eyes are so bad?"

Itachi remained silent, causing her to sigh again. "Since you won't say it… I've heard stories of your clan's kekkei genkai. It's manifested in the eyes, right? My guess is that your technique is what's deteriorating your eyesight. Am I right?" A long moment passed before Itachi nodded.

"Alright," Mitsuki looked down at the floor in concern. "Another thing. While I was listening to your lungs, I heard rattling. There's fluid in there. Have you been having any recurrent fevers, night sweats?" She saw another minute nod. "Coughing up blood?"

"Hn." The Uchiha grunted.

Getting up from her chair, the medic walked over to him, "That's what I was afraid of." She reached her hand to his chest, pausing before she touched him. "Do you mind?"

Mitsuki took his silence as consent, proceeding to lay her hand on his chest. It glowed green as she moved it over where both lungs would be, leaking her chakra into him in a way the was not unlike echolocation. She could sense, with her chakra, exactly what was inside the Uchiha's lungs. A multitude of living signatures, smaller than pinpoints, were manifesting in the organs, particularly his upper lobes. She knew what was wrong immediately.

"You have a pretty bad bacterial infection there." The medic removed her hand, proceeding to walk to the cabinet where the medicines were stored. She started to sort through them, picking one bottle of pills up before shaking her head and continuing to do so with another. "Though I can't say with one hundred percent certainty, at least until I run the blood work, I believe you have pulmonary tuberculosis." Finding the bottle she was looking for, she then pulled an empty pill bottle from a nearby drawer and dispensed thirty small, white circular pills into it before handing it to Itachi. "I don't believe that it's gotten so bad yet that the damage is irreversible, so these antibiotics should do the trick. Just take three a day, one with each meal, for ten days. If nothing improves, let me know."

"As for your eyesight," she then walked over to the chest that contained her herbs, taking some select herbs to crush into a dry mixture that she poured into a pouch. She gave it to Itachi who put it in a pocket of his cloak along with the antibiotics. "I want you to take a teaspoon of that mix and boil the herbs into a tea. It'll be very bitter, but do not use anything except for honey to sweeten it. They might be able to stop some of the damage." She stared him down. "Whatever technique you're using, I want you to cut it down to a minimal."

So silently Mitsuki almost didn't catch it, Itachi asked, "Is there anything you can do to fix my eyes?"

Her face softened, "Short of a complete transplant? I've got an idea, but I need to look up on it. There's a chance that some intensive treatment could do it. When you drink the last of the tea, I should have a definite answer for you then."

-0-

Brow up in another bought of disbelief, Mitsuki could only state, "Leader-sama brought me here as a medic, not a psychiatrist."

" **We're not a damn mental case, girl.** You have to admit that we are a little strange, though." White Zetsu chuckled.

"Alright then..." Mitsuki continued with the exam, not speaking unless she needed to until she remembered a comment the blonde haired Akatsuki mentioned.

"Deidara mentioned you had a greenhouse here in the base."

"What about it? **That brat really needs to keep his mouth shut.** "

"I was just wondering if you could show it to me."

" **Why would we let you in there, girl?** "

"I have an interest in herbs. They tend to have amazing medical attributes." Her hands glowed green as she ran them over his back, checking his chakra network for problems.

" **Our plants aren't for you to pick and kill.** " Where Black Zetsu spoke angrily, White Zetsu had a thoughtful tone. "It doesn't mean we can't just show it to her."

"That's all I'd like," Mitsuki stated, "Maybe I could learn something new from your knowledge of herbs, that's all."

"It would be nice to show someone our garden. **Maybe...** "

"Open your mouth and say 'Ahhh.'"

-0-

The black haired medic observed the green and red eyes of the Akatsuki's treasurer travel around the room. Comments such as, "How much was this?!" "We're just hemorrhaging money here," and, "I need to have a talk with Leader-sama. There's too much coming out of my coffers," plagued the entire examination.

At one point Kakuzu turned to her, asking, "How much are you being paid?"

The bluntness of the question, after all of the other complaining, utterly irritated Mitsuki. It was no wonder to her, now, why Hidan was arguing so heatedly with him when they came in the base. "That's none of your business. Now sit still." She injected a tetanus shot into the back of his muscled shoulder.

"I swear if you buy anything else for this nonsense I'll kill you on the spot."

"And you can swear that till the day that I'm using this 'expensive' equipment to fix your bleeding head when I bash you with an icicle." Her statement was muttered dully as she stabbed another vaccine in the back of his arm.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Just sit still!"

Finishing her work, she stepped away to dispose of the used needles. "You're a greedy, old miser, you know."

Getting up to reach for the door, Kakuzu's voice was grizzled, "You know nothing, girl. Money is what makes our lives work. Without it there's nothing."

"Money doesn't buy happiness. Your miserable self is living proof of that."

Kakuzu slipped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

-0-

The boyish red head's exam was short lived as soon as Mitsuki found out his entire body, save his heart, was another puppet.

Only a few questions were asked, after which she stated, "Well, that's just about it for you, I guess."

"I told you that this was an unnecessary waste of time for me, you stupid child."

"Well, I could give you the vaccines," she said hesitantly, "but having that much injected to just to your heart might just kill you, so I'd rather avoid that."

Sasori gave her a dull look. "I'll take my leave now."

-0-

Hidan was last and, in his fashion, refused his exam outright.

"No way in hell."

"Don't make me force you, Hidan." Chocolate orbs narrowed as she stared down his violet ones.

"Try me bitch."

While most of the Akatsuki members had left, Kisame, Deidara, and Zetsu remained. They already anticipated another spectacle, and now watched their second show.

"You asked for it." Mitsuki glanced at the lobby's window, which she had purposely left open in anticipation for this sort of event. The pouring rain from outside left a puddle on the floor.

She formed a one handed signal and the moisture from the rain raced to the Jashinist and formed to ice, shackling Hidan's legs and arms even as he moved out of the way. Hushed snickers emerged from the three other members.

As Mitsuki pushed the human popsicle into the exam room closing it behind them with her foot, all Hidan could do was yell at her. "You fucking bitch!"

"You know what I can do. You don't have any excuses."

"Common Mitsuki, this is fucking uncomfortable!" She didn't doubt it. He was frozen in a running pose, and being on ice must have had a pins and needles effect on his skin.

"I'll let you go if you just let me do my job here."

A few seconds passed before he grudgingly said, "Fine..," and Mitsuki formed another hand seal, ice melting, and moved the water to the sink. Sitting his shaking body on the exam table he complained, "You don't have to be so fucking harsh. I told you I'm immortal. It's not like I'm going to die from any of this shit you're trying to fucking prevent."

Apathy colored her face. "I honestly don't give a shit, Hidan. Taking care of you guys is my job now. You know from experience that I don't fuck around when I work. I just don't do that."

"I still don't see the point of this shitty exam." He crossed his arms in resignation. "Maybe before, but not fucking now."

"Hidan…" Mitsuki went to prepare her instruments for him. "Please shut up and let me do my job."

She chatted with him as she went through the routine she made with the rest of the Akatsuki. She told him her thoughts on the members, and while he mostly sat in an angry silence, he occasionally commented back, particularly when the subject touched on Kakuzu. If his distaste for the miser wasn't evident before, it was then.

His anger dissipated by the time his physical was over, and before Hidan reached for the door he looked at Mitsuki, grinning at his thoughts. "Oi."

"What?"

"How about we go out sometime, maybe for a drink? Like the old days."

Mitsuki looked back at him, keeping her emotions in check. After what had almost happened in her room, she knew it wouldn't be like what it was before they became missing-nin and parted ways. She was actually afraid of what might happen between them. Before they worked amazingly as a team because of what close friends they were. They were practically inside the other's head and could anticipate the other's movements with amazing accuracy. But something more had budded up. She didn't want it to happen. She feared losing him, somehow, like she had lost her brother before she could even meet him.

"We'll see."

Disappointed, he replied, "Alright."

-0-

With all of the Akatsuki members finished and haven taken time to exam the blood samples, Mitsuki was summoned to Pein's office where she sat on the same chair that she had a week before. Pein sat behind his desk, Konan standing right behind him. Tobi sat in the chair next to her.

"Did everything go well?"

The aura that Pein let off still unsettled Mitsuki, but she didn't let it show. "Yeah. I didn't have any major problems with anyone except for Hidan, but I made him come around."

The Akatsuki's leader nodded, "I take it everyone is in good health?"

"Yes..." Mitsuki hesitated for a second.

"What is it, Kurosawa-san?"

Although she didn't want to break the doctor-patient confidentiality she promised to the other members, Pein's tone was demanding. "I really shouldn't divulge anything to you..."

Pein's eyes narrowed. "I understand that, but as your leader I must demand that you inform me of anything that could compromise my organization."

"Well, everyone is in great condition… Except for Itachi." After withering inside from Pein's gaze, she continued, "He has a bacterial infection in his lungs. I think it got caught in time, so the antibiotics I gave him should work just fine. I'll check in with him on that later. However, what really bothers me is... He's blinder than a bat. Everything else about him is fine and makes up for that, but there's so much damage to his eyes that it's worrying."

He sighed deeply, "I was afraid of that. Is there anything you can do?"

"That's the thing. There's a chance that some intense healing sessions could do the trick, but I'm not sure. I need some time to think about it. I gave him some medicinal herbs for a tea, though, and their properties should stop some of the deterioration. I told him to see me again when he finished the herbs so I could try to help him. He agreed."

"Very well. You are dismissed, Kurosawa-san."

"Hai." Mitsuki walked to the elevator with Tobi bounding behind her.

"Mitsuki-chan! Mitsuki-chan! Can Tobi pet your pretty puppy again?"

The elevator's gears clanked together as it lowered the two to the sixth floor. Mitsuki couldn't help but smile at the man. She found his childish nature strangely endearing despite the nagging feeling she held of something wrong with it. "Sure thing, Tobi."

"Yay! Thank you, Mitsuki-chan!"

They both walked down the hall to her room, Tobi bouncing excitedly next to her small frame, when Hidan came from his own room, just a few doors from hers, and called for her.

Mitsuki hesitated, before handing Tobi her summoning scroll, "Go ahead without me Tobi. Just put this next to the other one on my dresser."

"Is Mitsuki-chan sure?" His tone was anxious. "Tobi doesn't want you to get hurt."

She smiled at him, "I'll be fine. Go ahead; I'm sure Kira misses you petting him."

"Ok..."

As Tobi walked away with his head down, she approached Hidan, "What's up?"

"About earlier," he kept stepping forward, forcing Mitsuki to move until she was up against the wall. He leaned in close, one hand on the wall next to her head. Due to her short stature she was forced to look up at him so she didn't have to think about the sculpted chest that peaked through Hidan's cloak. Their noses almost touched and his breath crept on her face, sending chills on her skin. The entire situation muddled her mind. "I fucking insist that we go have a damn drink."

"Hidan, I don't know if I can." Her words were whispered.

"Why the fuck not?"

"I... uh... ugh! Fine. I'll go have a drink with you."

Hidan pulled away grinning "Al-fucking-right! I know a great place here in Ame. I guess we could meet up at the base doors in an hour."

"Fine," Mitsuki sighed, still not believing that she gave in to that, but she wasn't able to think of an excuse so that she could refuse him. His hand was still placed next her head, but it was quickly removed when a certain blonde came around the corner.

"What are you doing, un?" Deidara's lined eye hardened as he stared at Hidan.

"What does it look like, Blondie? I'm having a fucking chat with Mitsuki."

"About what, exactly, un?"

"None of your fucking business."

"Really, un? I heard something about drinks."

"What about it?"

"What do you think you're doing? This isn't a call house, un. You can't just go out on a date with another member."

"You're one to fucking talk, asshole. I can see right through your fucking game. You just want a chance to get her for yourself."

Deidara's cheeks colored a little before he continued to argue with the Jashinist.

Silently scowling, Mitsuki tuned them out. ' _I'm not some piece of meat they can have_.' Using the distraction, she took her chance to slip away and make it to her room, leaving the two men to argue in the hall.

As she shut the door behind her, Tobi looked up from the content dog. "Why is Mitsuki-chan blushing?"

Being called out made her cheeks feel warmer. "I'm not sure you'd even understand, Tobi."

"Mitsuki-chan would be surprised how much Tobi could understand. Tobi's a good listener too! You can tell Tobi anything."

She grabbed a set of clothes from in her dresser, ignoring his offer. "You can stay here if you want. I'm going to take a shower, though. I'm joining Hidan for drinks tonight."

 **Author's Note:**

Hi! Khaos here again, bringing along a new chapter for my wonderful readers. I've got to give my many, many thanks to the next four to favorite my story: Cuteasstrophe, EthisEmina, kazekrystal, and lilith dracul!

And a question to all those reading: What do you guys think so far? I really am curious. My goal is to keep every cannon character's personality in check and not have them stray into ooc-ness unless it's a natural personality change brought by the story itself. The exception is Hidan, of course, where I tweaked his just a bit since his past includes Mitsuki. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated, on this and anything else.

Anyway, I will see you in the next biweekly-ish (give or take a few days) instalment of On The Rocks, in which Hidan and Mitsuki get a little more than tipsy and the Akatsuki's hunt for the jinchuriki begins!

Khaos out. Ja ne.


	6. A note to the reader

I... uh... I have no excuse... I can't believe that I left this fan fiction for over a year, but looking back on it... my writing style was a train wreck. To all of you who have favorited and followed, I'm so sorry that I abandoned this story and you. I think that I have decided to rewrite this story, and I'll be adding it as a new story instead of just replacing these pages. Whenever I start putting it up, I'll update here so all of you will know it's out. My old writing just isn't cutting it for me anymore, so I feel this is necessary if I'm to continue with my vision here.

Until I come back, Khaos out.

Ja ne


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